The present invention relates to the field of photography and, more specifically, to processing appartus for manipulating a self-processing film unit to effect wetting of a given surface area thereof with a low-viscosity processing liquid.
Commonly assigned co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 436,189, filed on even date herewith, discloses and claims a self-processing film unit comprising a sheet-like photosensitive film component and a liquid applicator secured to one end portion thereof.
The film component includes one or more photosensitive layers and has an outer surface with a given area thereof that is configured to be wetted with a low-viscosity processing liquid, following exposure, to initiate processing of the one or more photosensitive layers.
The liquid applicator is secured to the film component outside of the given area and includes a liquid and air impervious sheet dimensioned for extension over the outer surface in covering relation to the given area. The applicator also includes means on one surface of the impervious sheet yieldably holding a substantially uniformly distributed supply of a low-viscosity processing liquid sufficient to wet the given area. The liquid holding means may include, for example, an absorbent pad soaked with processing liquid. The applicator is initially provided on the film component in a folded over and releasably sealed configuration wherein the impervious sheet forms a liquid and air impervious enclosure about the liquid holding means. Following exposure of the film component, the applicator is moved to an unsealed extended configuration overlying the outer surface with the liquid holding means in liquid yielding contact with the given area to effect wetting thereof.
The applicator is formed during manufacture by folding the impervious sheet, having the liquid holding pad on its interior surface, over on itself to define opposed wall sections of the enclosure and releasably sealing the three free facing edges or margins of the sheet to hermetically seal the pad therein. By securing the folded applicator to the end of the film component during manufacture, the enclosed pad is preregistered and aligned with respect to the given area.
To effectively use this type of film unit, there is a need for a processing apparatus which, following exposure of the film component, is operative to manipulate the applicator in a manner that unseals the marginal seals of the enclosure then moves the impervious sheet to its extended position to bring the liquid holding pad into liquid yielding contact with the given area of the film component outer surface.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,324 discloses a self-developing camera having a film processing apparatus therein for pivoting an image receiving sheet away from its initial superposed position, over a photosensitive sheet, to an upright position to allow exposure of the photosensitive sheet and, thereafter, pivoting the image receiving sheet back to its initial superposed position in preparation for advancing the two film elements between a pair of pressure applying rollers for processing. However, there is no teaching or even suggestion therein of providing a processing apparatus that provides the necessary functions to manipulate the folded applicator described above.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a processing apparatus for use with a self-processing film unit of the type including a sheet-like film component and a liquid applicator that is movable from an initial folded position to an extended position.
It is another object to provide such an apparatus which is operable to unseal the folded applicator and move it to an extended position to locate liquid holding means on the applicator into liquid yielding contact with a given surface area of the film component.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide such an apparatus which is operative to initially move the folded applicator from an initial position overlying a portion of the film component's exposure surface to a sufficiently upright position with respect to the film component so as not to block the exposure path thereto.
Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.